Shipping crate



B. F. TOBIN, JR.

224, 1920. 1,438,197. Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

INVENTOR. BENJHM/N F. TOB/N JE.

WM 26 6am I v ATTORNEY.

Patented 12, 19.22

BENJAMIN TOBIN, .73.; or DETROIT, momenta, ASSIGNOR o CONTINENTAL MOTORSCORPORATION, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION or VIR- GINIA.

SHIPPING CRATE.

Application filed February 2 1, 1920. serial Nof 360,894.

To all whom it may concern.

Bevit known that-I,"BEN AM1N F. TOBIN,

Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing Y which the following is aspecification.

' same class;

My invention relates to an improved form of shipping cratedesignedparticularly for shipping internal combustion motors or similararticles having irregular or curved bottom portions requiringprotection, and further requiring side or end support for the articleswhen shipped by freight, par-' ticularly when the articles arerelatively heavy as is the case with themotors referred to. By myinvention I provide? a simple, strong and effective'construction forthis purpose made preferably from iron or steel bars provided withattachment devices by which the crate may be readily adapted to supportdifferent styles of articles of the for example different models ofmotors of the kind referred to, and by, my construction, I also providefor collapsing the crate when it is to be returned to the factory afterhaving been used in the manner referred to. w

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing a preferred embodiment thereof in which Fig. 1 is aperspective view of my improved crate in condition for shipping, andFig. 2 is aside view of the crate shown in- Fig. 1 in collapsedcondition. A

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As shown in Fig. 1, my improved crate consistsof a base 10 madepreferably of an iron or steel bar bent in the form of a rectangle andhaving its end portions secured together preferably by welding. I preferto construct the skeleton base referred to from an angle bar, asa bar ofsuch cross section is stifi, light and well adaptedto co-operate 7: Of'the angle bar forming'the base'project with the other part-s of'thedevice. The upper portion of the crate consists of a frame 11 similar tothe base 10 and made preferably in the same manner'an'd from an anglebar, the only difference being that while the legs nected together by atransverse andthe legs 15 and 16 are. similarly connect-' outwardly andupwardly, the legs of the angle barfforming'the frame 11 projectingoutwardly and downwardly, and furthermore one end of the frame 11 isdepressed as indicated at 12to form a saddle for receiving a cylindricalpart-of the motor or other device to be shipped inthe crate. The

base 10 and theframe 11 are connected "together and the frame issupported from the base by means of supporting legs 13 14 and 1 5, 16,made preferably from flat bar "iron or steel. The legs 13and 14 arerigidly conbrace 17-,

ed together by a brace'18. Each of the supporting legs is provided ateach end with outwardly extending lugs the outer edge surface Of WhlChrests against the inner faces of the horizontally extending legs of theangle bars forming the base and frame when the crate is in position for"use. The;

supporting legs 13 and 1d are pivotally connected with the verticallyextending leg of the angle bar of the base, by the bolts 19 extendingthrough the lugs which are near the adjacent end of the base, and thesupporting legs 15 and 16 are similarly connected to thezbase, by bolts20 extending through the lower lugs. of thesupporting legs which arefurther from the adjacent end of the base. Thesupportinglegs 13 and 1Aare pivotally connected with the frame 11 by bolts 21 extending throughthe downwardly projecting leg of the anglebar forming said frame andthrough the upper lugsfof the supportinglegs which'are further from theadjacent end of the frame and the upper ends of the supporting legs 15and 16 are similarly connected to the frame .by

bolts 22 extending through the lugs on the upper end of the legs 15 and16 which. are nearer the adjacentcnd of the frame 11. The crate is held.in its operative position by braces 23 extending diagonally of the cratebetween the. bolts 20 and 21 in which position the ends of thesupporting legs are held firmly against the innersurfaces of thehorizontally extending legs of the angle bars forming the base andframe. When it is desired to collapse the crate to the positionindicated in Fig. 2, the nuts may be removedfrom the bolts 21, the endsof the braces 23 slipped from the bolts 21, the nuts replaced on thebolts 21 and the supporting legs rotated on their pivotal connectionsthus bringing the frame 11 adjacent the base 10 in much the manner thatthe members of a parallel ruler may be moved. towards each other. I

The shipping crate shown in the drawings is adapted particularly for usein shipping internal combustion motors, and as is well known, devices ofthis kind have a cylindrical portion on one end which may be employed asa supporting portion, and this portion may when the crate is constructedof the proper size, rest in the saddle 12 where it is secured by aclamping plate 24; by suitable bolts. A second saddle bar 25 is providedon the frame 11 for supporting other motors of different size andbrackets 26 are also secured to the frame '11 at the same end as thesaddle bar 25 to support other motors not provided with a convenientcylindrical end support. At the other end of the frame, the motor may besecured thereto by suitable bolts extending through holes 27 formed inthe frame, or for other sizes corresponding retaining bolts may passthroughbrackets 28 rigidly secured to the frame.

By providing the frame 11 with sets of brackets to meet the needs ofdifferent styles of such motors for shipping purposes, it will beobserved that the same crate may be used for shipping a motor of anydesired style without interfering with the use of the crate subsequentlyfor shipping motors of other styles or models. It will at once appearthat crates of the kind under consideration must be substantial andstrong, and furthermore that they must occupy a minimum of space whenbeing re turned to the manufacturer who has used them in shipping hisgoods. All of these considerations are realized by my improvedconstruction.

While I have shown my invention in the particular embodiment abovedescribed, I do not, however, limit myself to this exact construction incarrying out my invention, as I may employ equivalents thereof known tothe art at the time of the filing of this application without departingfrom the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1.. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base, aframe, legs for supporting said frame above said base, said frameadapted to support articles for shipping, braces for holding said legsin supporting position, and fasteningdevices readily removable from saidbraces, said legs being pivotally connected at their ends tosaid baseand frame to permit collapsing said frame against said base, and saidlegs having transverse and oppositely extending lugs at their endsengaging corresponding surfaces on said base and frame to hold said legsin supporting position.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base, aframe, legs for supporting said frame above saidbase, said frame adaptedto support articles for shipping, braces for holding said legs insupporting position, and fastening devices readily removable from saidbraces, said legs being pivotally connected at their ends to said baseand frame to permit collapsing said frame against saidbase, said framecarrying a plurality of devices for. attachment to articles shipped.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base, aframe, legs for supporting said frame above said base, said frameadapted to support articles for. shipping, braces for holding said legsinsupporting position, and fastening devices readily removable from saidbraces, said legs being pivotally connected at their ends to said baseand frame to permit collapsing of different size to be said frameagainst said base, and said legs having transverse and oppositelyextending lugs at their ends engaging corresponding surfaces on saidbase and frame to hold said legs in supporting position, said bracesextending diagonally between the ends of said legs and secured to thepivotal consubstantially perpendicular to said base andframe, theconnections at one end of the braces being readily separable to permitcollapsing the frame against the base, said supporting legs haveoppositely disposed transverse end lugs engaging the inner surfaces ofthe horizontal legs of said. base and frame bars in supporting position.

5. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a skeleton base comprising an angle bar bent and its endssecured together to form a rectangle, the legs of said angle barextending horizontally and .ver-

tically of the base, a similarly formed frame, the vertical legs of theangle bars of said base and frame extending towards each other,supporting legs pivo-tally con nected to said vertical legs, and bracebars extending diagonally between the pivotal connections of saidsupporting legs to hold the latter substantially perpendicular to saidbase and frame, the connections at one end of the braces being readilyseparable to permit collapsing the frame against the base,saidsupporting legs have oppositely disposed transverse end lugsengaging the inner surfaces of the horizontal legs of said base andframe. bars in supporting'posi- 1 tion, and brackets carried by saidframe for I c securing thereto articles to be shipped.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this17thday-ofFebruary, A 7

BENJAMINI'FQTOBIN, 131a.

